5 Times Library-Loving Cats Made the News

Everybody knows the Venn diagram of people who like reading and people who like cats is damn near a circle, but what about cats who like reading? Yep, seems people are pretty into them, too. Here are five instances of particularly persistent book-loving felines whose love of libraries made the news:

1. Max

Image Via The Washington Post

Max made the news back in 2017 with his relentless attempts to gain entry to his local library, despite the protests of his owners and staff. He was so persistent that the library was forced to put up a sign discouraging patrons from allowing Max into the library with them, explaining that it was in nobody’s best interest, least of all his own, for him to be in there.

2. Browser

Image Via The Guardian

Browser the cat’s eviction from his library of choice sparked ‘international outcry’ when it made headlines in 2016. Thousands of people around the world expressed their support for the cat who resided, and still resides, at the library in White Settlement, Texas. After the local council decided to evict Browser on the basis that his presence prevented some members of the community from utilizing the library, other library patrons objected. The Guardian reports that at a local meeting regarding Browser’s fate, “a woman spoke about the history of cats in libraries. A man mentioned WebMD statistics on the low prevalence of cat allergies. Others talked about how the cat brought children into the library to read. A little boy was sad he had only been able to pet the cat once.”

Luckily for the town’s beloved Browser, the decision was overturned and he was allowed to remain at the library.

3. Dewey

Image Via iheartcats.com

Dewey, full name: Dewey Readmore Books, was deposited in the returns slot of a library in Spencer, Iowa when he was a kitten. Dewey captured the hearts of the librarians and became the library’s very own cat, even inspiring his own book, Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World. No YOU’RE crying.

4. Mu

Image Via Maynooth University

Mu is Ireland’s Maynooth University’s library cat, who very kindly provided an interview with a student journalist for the Maynooth UniversityTimes this past October. During the interview, Mu provided many insights into his life, including: “I have resided here for many a year, and, by many a year, I mean I do not understand the concept of time.”

5. Penny

Image Via Jezebel

Penny is another library cat whose proposed eviction sparked objection. Jezebel reports that she had lived at Massachusetts’ Swansea Public Library for nine years before her presence was raised as an issue due to concerns over allergies. A petition in favor of Penny on Change.org garnered over 1,800 signatures.

Patrick Higgins, the man behind the campaign to have Penny removed, was gobsmacked by public support for her, and, in response, gave one of the most ‘I’m the baddie in a children’s film wherein the cat is the hero’ statements of all time: “We’ve got pictures of the cat on Facebook laying on top of a laptop, and they think this is okay!” quoth Higgins, presumably slamming his fist on an oak desk. “I just don’t understand it. The cat has gone all over the world. You’ve got the petition with over 2,000 people over a freaking cat.” And what, Higgins?

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